Ezra 5:17

ifit seem good to the king A similar phrase in Ezra 7:18; Esther 1:19.

in the king's treasure house which apparently was the repository of important documents as well as of treasure. The expression occurs again in Esther 3:9; Esther 4:7. The word rendered -treasure" (ginzayya) is rendered by -gaza" (γάζα) in the LXX. Compare Ezra 1:8; (gizbar) -treasurer"; 1 Chronicles 28:11 (ganzak) -treasure"; chap. Ezra 6:1 gives the full explanation of the present phrase. The Vulgate too narrowly renders -bibliotheca".

at Babylon i.e. where would be kept the records of the Babylonian Empire.

his pleasure Same word as that in Ezra 7:18, -the willof God". The LXX. by a mistake of similar letters renders -having learnt" (γνούς).

concerning thismatter] Same phrase as in Ezra 5:5 (where see note). The word -matter" added here in the English for the sake of explicitness. Tattenai asks for instructions as to how he should proceed generally in dealing with the Jews and their Temple-building.